You’re driving home from work, and when you’re stuck in a horrible jam, you look at the temperature gauge and notice it’s slowly creeping up to red. As the traffic jam slowly opens up, the temperature gauge starts to go back down.
This continues to happen several times before the traffic jam opens completely. Well, if you’re wondering why this is happening to your Ford Fusion, the reason could be your engine is overheating.
Want to know why this is happening? In this post, we discuss the Fusion idle temperature rise, the reasons, and how to fix it.
Fusion Idle Temperature Rise: Reasons and Solutions
Bad Radiator Cap
If your Ford Fusion has a bad radiator cap, your car is likely to overheat. This is because the radiator cap is unable to correctly maintain the internal pressure in the radiator. If the internal pressure were to increase, it would break parts of the cooling system.
Additionally, having little pressure in the cooling system is not good either. Too little pressure will cause the Ford Fusion coolant to boil off. If this happens, nothing will be left inside the cooling system to cool your car.
Several signs will let you know if you have a bad radiator cap. One of those signs is a collapsed hose. The other is an overflowing reservoir.
Solution
The solution is to have your radiator cap replaced. This is a simple fix and can save you a lot of money in the future taking into account that the bad cap could damage the engine. By keeping your cooling system in top condition, your Ford Fusion will drive much smoother.
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Malfunctioning Radiator Fan
Another reason why your Ford Fusion temperature in the engine rises when idle is because of a malfunctioning radiator fan. The fan works by blowing air over the radiator. This helps to lower the temperature of the coolant as it circulates in the system. As such, the engine operates at an optimum temperature even when idle.
If your radiator fan is malfunctioning, the following may cause it. The first one is a faulty fan belt. If the belt is not attached correctly or is worn out, then it will prevent the fan from running.
The other issue is a broken fan blade. This will cause the clutch fan to operate at a lower speed. As such, the cooling system will not cool your Ford Fusion efficiently. You also have a case where the cooling fan spins in reverse. This results in the air flowing in the opposite direction. When this happens, the cooling efficiency is often reduced.
Bad Water Pump
Next on our list is a bad water pump. The water pump in your Ford Fusion is usually turned by your engine’s accessory drive system. When the engine’s rpm increases, the water pump’s speed also increases. However, when your vehicle is idle, the pump turns slowly.
Some signs of a bad water pump include a coolant leak, engine overheating, high-pitched whining noises, and steam coming out from under the hood of your car. Upon inspection of the water pump, you may also find holes on the dry side.
Solution
When your Ford Fusion is idle, and the car is overheating, then the water pump is not circulating the coolant through the system. To test this, simply put your Ford Fusion in park or neutral, then rev the engine to about 1000 RPM for a few seconds. If the temperature drops, then it works, but if the temperature starts to rise and continues to do so, then it’s malfunctioning.
What you need to do is drive your car to the nearest repair shop and have a professional mechanic replace the water pump.
Faulty Thermostat
Besides a malfunctioning water pump, a faulty thermostat is also a reason for your Ford Fusion engine overheating. Over the years, your car thermostat may corrode or age. When this happens, it may be stuck in a closed position.
As a result, the closed thermostat will not allow the coolant to flow and reach the radiator. If the coolant is not circulating in and out of the radiator, then your radiator will not cool your engine effectively. This will increase the engine’s temperature when idle. If the problem is not rectified early, it could cause severe damage.
Solution
It’s not easy to tell if your thermostat is faulty or failing. However, does your Ford Fusion get hot within minutes of driving it? Well, if it does, then that could mean the thermostat is not opening all the way.
Have a professional mechanic look at your Ford Fusion. If the thermostat is faulty or falling, then have it replaced.
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Low Coolant
Without enough coolant in your Ford Fusion, the engine’s temperature will rise and continue to rise leading to overheating. This is because the coolant is not carrying heat away from the engine.
One reason why you have low coolant levels is because of cracked hoses. There are two hoses attached to your radiator. One of them sends the hot coolant from the engine to the radiator where air from the fan carries the heat away cooling your engine. The other hose sends the coolant to the water pump for re-circulation.
With time, these hoses can crack. If you notice coolant on the ground under your car, have them checked to see if they are cracked and leaking. Besides the cracked hoses, the radiator could also be leaking. If the radiator has a streak going down its body or one of the fins has a big gouge, then it could be a reason why the radiator is leaking.
Solution
If the radiator is not leaking or the hoses are not cracked, then you can refill the coolant reservoir and radiator. Remember, never fill up your radiator and reservoir with coolant when the engine is warm.
The cold coolant will shock the warm engine and cause a crack. After filling up the coolant, look under the vehicle and check to see if there are puddles of coolant. If none is present, there is no leak.
Final Thoughts
When your engine overheats, do not drive at the normal engine speed. Also, when you come to a stop, do not open the hood immediately. Doing so could result in serious burns from the steam and hot air.
Avoid pouring water over the hot engine as this can cause components such as the radiator hose and fan to crack. What you need to do is remain calm and call a professional mechanic if you want to save yourself from expensive repairs.